Chains x Companion
by atutsie
Summary: "A fallen villain had to make his comeback for the hero, after all." Hxh verse. Pre-Dark Continent Arc. M/M


**Theme:** Chains and Earrings (though I have only used the chains theme here)

Cover art by **rin0001** from tumblr

 **A/N:** Cross-posted this from facebook, it's a fic I wrote for **kusarihime143** for the kris kringle in our lil sinner group there.

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 **Chains x Companion**

It was his chains that had bound them together, literally speaking. Albeit it was just through the _nen_ that Kurapika had enshrouded on Chrollo Lucifer's heart. But it was still enough for Kurapika to feel the Ryodan leader. Enforcing an individualized _nen_ to someone else's body could be intimate at times, when bits of Chrollo's emotions would slip into him―emotions that Kurapika would never accept to exist in Chrollo. He was, and would always be a heartless monster who massacred his kin in the eyes of the Kuruta.

Chrollo's presence was constant around the Kuruta. He felt near, so near that sometimes he would think that the Ryodan leader was just there, physically. That those obsidian eyes, the eerie nothingness in them etched in his mind, were haunting him wherever he went, whatever he did. That anytime, without any warning, or even the tiniest trail of his physical presence, Chrollo would just appear in front of him.

And he did, when Kurapika opened the door to the interrogation room, revealing the Phantom Troupe leader and the bane of his existence, Chrollo Lucifer; seated so comfortably on a wooden chair, hands restrained on the back of it, and his bare feet chained on its legs.

He was in the same state as Kurapika had last seen him; chained, battered and smiling ―the same smile that exuded his confidence, that despite his detriment situation, he would be the victor in the end. It was also the smile that had encouraged Kurapika into punching the life out of him; resulting to bruises, blood and a lost tooth.

But at that moment, he felt neutral. No uncontrollable rage or frustration spilling into his knuckles, or the unappeasable thirst for revenge ripping away his logic at the sight of this man; he was calm. Because he got used to his lingering presence. And when his boss had practically begged Kurapika for a one-man interrogation with their recent captive, because said captive ―whose identity had been vehemently concealed by Light Nostrade― demanded for _'The young body guard with nen chains'_ to gain his cooperation. He had his theories by then.

Though it definitely intrigued Kurapika how the mafia managed to catch _the_ Chrollo Lucifer. Were they aware of his handicapped _nen_? Exploited this opportunity then concocted a well-thought plan for his capture? Although the Kuruta did not find this plausible, because he knew, despite this immense drawback the Ryodan leader would still be a difficult target. Kurapika hypothesized he would still pass the A to S rank for Black list Hunters. So a mere group of mafia guards with passable _nen_ powers would not be able to capture him that easily.

It was pointless, truth to be told. They had been played, that much he could tell. This moment was all according to Chrollo's plan, because since the beginning, his sole objective was Kurapika ―for revenge, perhaps.

"We meet again, chain bastard." Chrollo was casual, he could've been talking to a friend he had not seen for so long. Kurapika was nauseated at the thought of befriending this monster, death sounded more endearing than that possibility. Not even in his next lives―not that he believed in reincarnation―would he allow that occurrence. Then, Chrollo continued, "It is indeed a pleasure to see you once more, Kurapika."

Clearly, it was unnerving to hear his name rolling so loosely in the venomous tongue of Chrollo; creating a sound of familiarity. He wondered if Chrollo had felt bits of his emotions too. This theory did not sit well on Kurapika. But he did not show any discomfort in his expression; ignoring the 'friendly' greeting of Chrollo. He did not come here for small talks after all; it would only waste his time.

He then closed the door, eying the surroundings of the room while he held the knob. Good. They had taken out the cameras, no bugs included too, as per his request ―a compromise he deserved considering his boss's request.

Kurapika needed to take pre-cautions. He knew he wouldn't have full control of the flow of their conversation; a careless slip of tongue would reveal the sensitive information he'd been trying to hide from the mafia. And Kurapika considered it as an invasion of his privacy, if they were to eavesdrop in his conversation with the Ryodan Leader.

"Will you kill me this time?" Chrollo began once more, redirecting the focus of Kurapika's stare into him.

"After your failure from our last encounter?" He resumed. The man's tone was pressing, waiting; challenging Kurapika into a response that would amuse Chrollo.

Kurapika stood still, scrutinizing the captive before him. It was too tempting to kill him then and there. The odds were with him. A stab straight to his heart from his _nen_ -coated _bokken_ would be enough.

"Haven't you been planning of my death after all this time?"

In his mind, he heard the brutal crunch of the blade thrusting into Chrollo's chest, of the suppressed pain in his grunt. He would make sure to lacerate the major arteries, then blood would splatter everywhere; creating big and small blotches of scarlet on Kurapika's dark suit and pale face. It would be an instant death just like Uvogin's, and if he removed the blade, there would be a flood of crimson liquid falling to the floor. Chrollo's face might be at peace; accepting his fate because he walked with death in his everyday life, or it might be mocking, because Kurapika fell into the man's twisted words of manipulation.

But he was certain, it would be as distasteful as the first time he had killed a person. Not even a tinge of fulfillment even as he successfully extracted the revenge he had vowed ever since.

"Or will you disappoint your brethren whom _we_ massacred so mercilessly, once again?"

Yet his hand were seduced by the hilt of his sword, defiant fingers were curled, reaching for its wooden handle; and there was the tinge of burning in his eyes. Kurapika clenched and unclenched his hand until he was certain of his control over his fingers, until his eyes were as calm as the ocean once again. His reason had almost slipped away from him. He must not acquiesce to the man's taunts so easily. Chrollo was just pressing his buttons, speaking the right words to shove Kurapika down to his limits. Because the man would know, that Kurapika could not defy the orders from the higher ups, that is, to keep the captive alive even after the interrogation.

He rested his hands on his sides; unmoving. Kurapika decided to ignore Chrollo's provoking queries, redirecting the topic of their conversation.

"I am aware you never intended on cooperating with this interrogation." Kurapika said; unbiased, a slip of superiority in his voice, whilst maintaining the air of professionalism. "So just go straight to the point, Chrollo Lucifer."

He was poised when his feet moved towards Chrollo, halting them before his captured figure. Kurapika tipped down his head, because this time, he was the one towering the man.

"What do you want from me?" Kurapika asked.

A lop-sided grin graced the man's lips, tilting his head, "I'm pleased we're on the same page, Kurapika."

The sound of metals creaking and breaking were all around the room. Chrollo had freed himself from

the chains in one swift motion, raising on his feet afterwards. Kurapika stepped back. He shouldn't feel intimidated with the man's mere height, but there was something about his stance; _Danger_ , was what his body kept telling his senses. One, two strides; Kurapika's feet were moving back, away from him, three; and the coldness of the metal door was felt against his back. But he refused to be overwhelmed, he would not feel cornered in his presence. He searched for his _bokken_ hidden in his pants; gripping them so tightly, all prepared to lunge into Chrollo. Because the situation had called for it. He retained the sharpness in his stare, with his defenses fortified, so Chrollo wouldn't catch his unexplainable apprehension.

Chrollo's eyes were more intense, predatory rather, looking through his soul; yet it remained void of emotions. He summoned his _nen_ to cover his swords with it, but he failed to do so. He soothed the panic budding in him. He held his stare towards the man; challenging him; even when he was now caged within Chrollo's arms.

Calloused fingers reached for his chin, Kurapika gritted his teeth as he turned away his face to be freed from his touch. He tried to call for his _nen_ once again, but still, nothing happened.

 _How did he do it?_ It was impossible. Chrollo didn't have _nen_ in him, unless there was another party who would willingly― or rather, forcibly do it for him; Kurapika concluded.

"I want _you_."

Before Kurapika could even defend himself, a needle was punctured on his arm. The last thing he saw was Chrollo's face, and everything went black afterwards.

 **x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x-x**

It began with a simple curiosity.

A harmless hunger for information about the chain bastard, the last survivor of the Kuruta Clan who succeeded to capture and incapacitate him. Chrollo had only wanted to know more about his strength, his limitations, his weaknesses in fighting; some valuable materials if ever Chrollo would face him another time; perhaps for revenge, albeit the thought never crossed his mind.

Because in all honesty, Chrollo would want the blonde to join his Spiders. His skills would be useful for the Troupe, especially the 'Dowsing Chain' that could give the accurate location of the treasures they desired to steal. But it would be quite difficult to achieve this, force would be needed, and most definitely exploiting his weaknesses. After all, the chain bastard would rather kill himself to preserve his dignity, than join the ranks of the people he had vowed to destroy and kill with his own hands. Most of the Troupe would not be pleased with this new recruit. So Chrollo decided to disregard this plan for the meantime. There would be time in the future to implement this after all. He was a patient man. He could wait.

Chrollo was merely amused with the blonde, a tad of physical attraction, maybe. The man could not deny the beauty that the Kuruta possessed. Irresistible, _dangerously_ irresistible.

And then Chrollo started researching about Kurapika's past, from the massacre up to their encounter.

Acquiring reliable information about him was not an easy feat. He was mostly invisible to the public eye for the years he had spent alone, and the Kuruta Clan was isolated from the outside world even until their massacre. But there were rumors, though their reliability were almost non-existent, Chrollo would just try to strain the fibs in these stories and pick up the traces of truth in them.

That was how he knew one of their similarities; books. The boy could last the whole day spending it on libraries and book stores, losing himself into the stack of books that surround him; waking up and sleeping with these thick volumes. Chrollo then began frequenting on the book store that Kurapika would often use as his temporary lodging ―courtesy of the gullible owner who had a soft spot for orphans― and then, stealing every book that the boy had read. Chrollo was drawn into his choice of books. He even played with the thought of asking recommendations from the blonde; or giving him an unannounced visit. Thrill coursed through him at the thought of the possible scenarios that would unfold; of those beautiful crimson eyes staring through him with hatred that Chrollo had elicited, of more unpredictable responses that the blonde would show him. Indeed, another confrontation with the last Kuruta would be a lovely idea.

A fallen villain had to make his comeback for the hero, after all.

He began to want more. Information about Kurapika was not enough for him; just knowing his current whereabouts, his latest mission, his companions; even his pictures began to bore him. He needed something concrete, something that would feel more genuine of the blonde's presence.

And so, following Kurapika became a routine for Chrollo. He believed it was a good way to fritter away his free time while he waited for the _Nen_ Exorcist.

A stake out for a highly skilled _nen_ user was not easy without _nen_ to conceal himself; even a simple use of _zetsu_ would lead to his death. But he had his own ways, living in the Meteor City necessitated the constant use of hiding his presence even before he learned _nen_. And he was resourceful, in terms of gathering the information, human resources were the easiest to procure. He only needed to know their weakness and at the same time their desires; which was the unvarying state of his mind whenever he was interacting with a person. A little bribe, or black mailing would do; a little kindness, a little threat or mostly his charisma would be more than enough to get by his everyday life.

There were times when the blonde would unconsciously stare in his direction through the telescope or directly in his eyes; even when Chrollo was in a safe distance or simply blending in with the crowd, where the Kuruta would not find him easily. He loved to see the vague creases between his eyebrows, the feeling of odd familiarity that conflicted him, while his hand would move in his chest. Then his face would return to the usual cool and calm one, turning away as he resumed what he was doing. Chrollo wondered if the Kuruta was simply cautious of his surroundings or that he was aware of the man's proximity. He preferred it to be the latter.

Until he stumbled upon a conversation between two drunkards, openly boasting about their enhanced _nen_ skills. Chrollo ignored them at first, but hearing the words, ' _touch_ ', ' _pass_ ' and ' _forced zetsu state_ ' piqued his interest. And how convenient it was for Kurapika to be connected to these two through their jobs. A plan was formulated at that moment. Giving the Kuruta a taste of his own medicine sounded nice for Chrollo.

A simple visit might not suffice for him anymore, capturing Kurapika became his goal.

The next steps were easy, though it took quite a long time to fully accomplish; from befriending the person until he could manipulate the man, pave his way inside the mafia and do a little 'favor' for Chrollo, to gaining the mafia's attention and fabricating some black mails for the higher ups then finally, allowing them to capture Chrollo.

It took months, but it was worth it. Because finally, Kurapika was in front of him; just within his reach, where he could touch him without restrictions. The boy was a replica of his state a while ago, chained in a chair with his limbs restrained in his seat. Fatigue was more pronounced in the boy's stature; the bags in his eyes were darker, he was skinnier and paler than their first encounter.

But he was still beautiful, nevertheless.

Chrollo stood before him, fingers reaching for his face; sliding them down from the crown of his golden head to his forehead, a quick pause in his closed eye ―where the treasured Scarlet Eyes were hidden, down his cheek, his chin, then to his jaw and his neck. Delicate and slender neck, appearing so pliant, so enticing into his eyes. Chrollo wondered how it would feel if he had them caged in his hands. But he would not kill the Kuruta. He just wanted to answer an impulse he'd been failing to suppress. His hands were then loosely wrapped around Kurapika's neck, maybe a little tighter would be good.

He pushed his fingers together; not too tight, not too lose, just enough strength to feel the warmth of his skin.

"Take your filthy hands off of me, Chrollo Lucifer. You are wrong to assume I will allow you to end my life in my sleep. "

Oh, how he missed to hear that sweet, lethal venom in his voice.

An amused curve was forming in Chrollo's lips, releasing his grasp from the blonde to restrain his hands on his pockets. Kurapika even had the gall to command his captor despite his unfavorable situation. The man stared right through the eyes of Kurapika; as blue as the ocean, but with tiny shades of crimson in them.

It was definitely more amusing to be in the physical presence of the Kuruta.

"You know it would be so easy to accomplish that, Kurapika, "said Chrollo. "But I would not. I don't intend on killing you, after all."

"Because you are a heartless monster who'd rather prolong the torment in your prey while they are conscious, just like what you did to my kin."

Chrollo shrugged. There was some truth in his words after all, albeit he was more of the psychological torture than physical.

"But I will not give you that satisfaction. You won't be able to acquire the last set of Scarlet Eyes just to sell them for money. I'd rather kill myself than allow you."

Chrollo noticed the subtle movements of the blonde, attempting to escape from his chains, while he pretended to give his attention on their conversation.

"Escaping is futile, Kurapika. I had someone enforce those chains with _nen_ , and I assume you are aware that you have lost your ability to use _nen_ at this moment," Another shrug, "Unless you find the _nen_ user who did this."

Kurapika's brows were knitted, "And touch me, _again_ ," he replied. The creases were smoothed quickly. The Kuruta lifted his chin, holding his dignified stance, "But whatever deal you offer me in exchange of my _nen_ or my freedom, I refuse them. I will _never_ seal any contract with the devil."

Chrollo raised an eyebrow. He was baffled. After all, he captured the Kuruta just to answer the nagging yearning in him. He was a thief, and he would steal what he desired to possess. He did not consider providing any deal with Kurapika in exchange of his freedom or his _nen_.

Because the thought of releasing the Kuruta _never_ crossed his mind.

"Whatever it is you wanted from me, consider it useless, Chrollo Lucifer."

But what exactly did he want from the Kuruta? Chrollo moved his pupils, scrutinizing Kurapika from head to foot. He felt conflicted then. Even when Kurapika was now in his hands, he couldn't specify the real reason he wanted him.

He turned his body to the side. A treasure to display? A trophy? Indeed, he was still fond of the crimson eyes, Kurapika's crimson eyes to be exact, but it was _more_ than that. He raised his head, to stare at the ceiling. A friend? That would be preposterous for him to yearn for. He slid his eyes towards Kurapika's direction, crouching on a meager degree. A lover, perhaps? It sounded _so_ good for Chrollo, but an unwilling lover did not appeal to him. He would have to seduce his way into the Kuruta's heart. It seemed almost impossible to achieve, but the challenge would be worth the effort and time he was willing to allot.

"Then, how about this," Chrollo began. He spun his heels to face the boy once again, "A companion," he resumed.

Kurapika was silent, but the confusion in his face was surfacing.

"You will be my companion in this interlude, Kurapika."

The man witnessed the transformation of the Kuruta's eyes, from the ocean's hue to the crimson eyes that shone like bloody rubies.

A light, dark chortle escaped from the boy's lips, "I will, Chrollo Lucifer." His voice was calm, a calm that concealed the lethal poison it truly possessed, "I'd gladly be your companion to hell."

He recalled Neon Nostrade's fortune. _'Enjoy the interlude,'_ it would. He definitely would. An unending interlude with the Kuruta was what he wanted.

Companions in hell, it is. He could begin there.

He grasped for the boy's chin, raising his head as he leaned closer and whispered, "And _I_ will lead you the way."

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 **A/N:** Oh dear, I hope my Chrollo was still in-character here. I'm always worried about my characterization of him. And please do point out my mistakes if you see them, I don't mind it. But I must admit I really enjoy it when I go inside the psychopathic/sociopathic mind of Chrollo /shot/ Is this bad? Or really really bad? (P.S. author is low key finding a beta reader for her other unpublished fics thank you very much for your kind soul)


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